Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Vitamin C

Okay, so I've been doing the vitamin C, 2000mg per day for a while now. I haven't noticed any differences yet, but I'm going to keep taking it.

I'm trying to find a way to convince my doctor to let me try prolotherapy: a sugar solution is injected into damaged ligaments or tendons, the solution can create an acute and localized inflammation, which can stimulate the body to repair itself. I think that with prolotherapy and large doses of vitamin C to help rebuild the collagen, there may be a chance to do some good.

The biggest issue I'm having with prolotherapy, is that the doctor wants to try it on my right shoulder first. I'm right handed, and I'm a receptionist... If the prolotherapy doesn't work, or if I'm in too much pain to write after getting the injection, I will be unable to work. On top of all that my right shoulder is my "good" shoulder, and if I couldn't use it, I wouldn't be able to drive any more either. I figure, try injecting my bad shoulder first... If it gets worse, I won't be much worse off than I am now... I can't lift more than 5 pounds with my left arm, I can't drive with my left arm, and I have to be careful picking up a cup of coffee... But, if it gets better, my quality of life would be improved.

If I do get prolotherapy, and it works on my left shoulder, I would then go ahead and get it done to both of my knees, then my hips before I would go for my right shoulder.

Ummm... New news... My niece is talking-ish. She knew my name when I saw her on the weekend, for the first time since Christmas.

Less exciting news... I have a cold. It sucks. My normal pain has increased, and I am experiencing more fatigue than I am accustomed to.

3 comments:

Bendy_Clutz said...

im still tryin to figure out why doctors don't listen to their patients more! we're the ones that are gunna suffer if something goes wrong, AND we know our bodies better than they do..pfft.

ive read some interesting stuff about that, sounds pretty promising. i hope it works for ya! i mean, cant expect it to magically make everything better but some improvement would be great..

good luck convincing him you know your body better than he does and what joint he should do first. =)

BubbleGirl said...

Thanks for the encouragement, and the show of support.
I used to have tonsilitis, and sinusitis about one week out of every month, and I would go to the doctor on a friday, and say "I'm going to ahve full blown tonsilitis/sinusitis in two or three days, and you're not here on weekends, and I can't come in again until wednesday next week... Can I have the antibiotics now?" He's tell me "No, because I can't see anything wrong with your tonsils, or your sinuses, your temperature is fine... go home"... I'd see him on wednesday the next week, and he'd say open your mouth and say 'aahhhh'...oh goodness, that's quite an infection, here are some antibiotics"

That went on for 3 years, and I was finally sent to have a tonsilectomy.

Anonymous said...

Doctors just want to cover their ass so they don't get sued. And most are in it for teh money. And were pushed into it. And the lower the rung you are on in society, the shittier the treatment they give you - less respect amd concern of your suffering.

What does it matter what my job is? Why do they ask this? Isn't it more important what the conditions of my job are - what kinds of movements and activities that might injure me.

Part of teh function of medical school is to produce a variety of people on a spectrum of sadism who will help to manage the degree of suffering in society - that is, suffering will not be greatly diminshed if it does not suit the needs of society. Such as producing more soldiers to go to war.